Senate adopts bill letting fire districts run private-property vegetative-fuel mitigation programs

House Bill 1009, a measure authorizing fire protection districts and metro districts that provide fire protection services to create programs to remove dangerous vegetative fuels from private property, was adopted by the Colorado Senate after debate on March 10, 2025.

The bill, as amended in committee, allows districts to establish vegetative fuels programs but includes multiple guardrails. Senator Cutter, sponsor of the committee report, described the measure as “a really simple, permissive program that allows protection districts to create this program to remove dangerous vegetative fuel from private property,” and said it was “one more tool in the toolbox” to help control wildfires.

Senate floor debate focused on the scope of local authority, enforcement costs and whether the measure would expand government. Senator Hendrickson, who spoke in favor,…